HTC offers to replace cracked phone screens

NEW YORK (AP) - HTC is offering to replace cracked phone screens for six months, saying it wants to address a leading consumer frustration.

The offer applies only to HTC One phones bought in the U.S. starting Tuesday. HTC Corp. will replace the screen only once.

Free shipping is available, but users will be without a phone for up to two weeks. For $29, HTC will ship a replacement phone overnight. The customer must return the damaged one.

There's no evidence that HTC screens are more prone to cracking than others. Rather, the offer may be a way for HTC to compete with larger rivals Apple and Samsung. While the HTC One has received favorable reviews, HTC's share of the global smartphone market is less than 5 percent, according to research firm Gartner.